A Sneak Peek at the MAC Selena Collection

A Sneak Peek at the MAC Selena Collection

The story of Selena Quintanilla is undeniably bittersweet—she inspired so many fans with her beautiful voice yet was tragically taken from life on earth far too soon. Her legend lives on through her music and her lasting impact on Latin culture and beauty. This Fall, MAC pays homage to the Mexican-American singer with the beautifully-curated Selena Collection.

MAC collaborated with Selena’s sister, Suzette, to bring Selena’s spirit to life through the products, colors and names of the collection. It’s a mid-size collection featuring lipsticks, a lipgloss, eyeshadows, eyeliner, mascara, a blush duo and a brush, each featuring special-edition purple packaging.

The collection will be available online October 1st at maccosmetics.com and in stores on October 6th. It will also be available for an exclusive pre-shop on September 28th for Obsessed and Devoted members of MAC Select (MAC’s loyalty program).

I have the entire collection to show you today (minus the powder brush). Let me know which pieces are catching your eye!

Lips

The lipsticks are absolutely gorgeous. I love the fact they are all unique yet I could totally see Selena wearing each one! Dreaming of You is by far my favorite, not just because it has the name of my favorite Selena song, but because it is such a perfect shade for Fall, too.

Dreaming of You and Como La Flor both have intense pigmentation because they are matte and amplified textures (respectively). Amor Prohibito is a Glaze texture which gives it bit more translucence with a glossier finish.

(L-R) Como La Flor, Dreaming Of You, Amor Prohibito

The collection also features one MAC Lipglass ($17), but it is an online exclusive so you won’t be able to find it in stores. Bidi Bidi Bom Bom is a sheer, bubblegum pink with silver shimmer. It looks quite intense in the tube, but goes on quite translucent.

It’s not the most unique Lipglass I’ve ever seen, but it’s sure pretty and I love it anyways! It’s a nice alternative for those who don’t want a statement lip but still want a little piece of the Selena collection.

Cheeks

The only cheek product in the collection is the MAC Techno Cumbia ($29), a split-pan cheek duo with the Selena logo embossed right in the powder. The shades within are Blunt, a muted golden brown (which takes up most of the pan) and Ven Commigo, a beige-y pink.

It reminds me more of MAC’s Beauty Powders than blushes because it definitely leans more towards the sheer side (I really had to layer the swatches for the color to show up). Having said that, it adds a nice warmth to the complexion that I think would be fantastic for fair skintones.

The shades can be used separately but I prefer to just mix them both together and apply it like a bronzer, but concentrating the color on the apples of the cheeks.

Techno Cumbia; Blunt (top) & Vent Commigo (bottom)

Blunt (left) & Vent Commigo (right)

Eyes

There are definitely more offerings for eyes in the collection than lips or cheeks—including individual eyeshadows, mascara and eyeliner.

I think the special packaging looks gorgeous on these individual eyeshadows, with the Selena logo across the cap. I thought they were an interesting array of shades, but they were all quite nice! They each had decent pigmentation—nothing extraordinary, but not disappointing either.

My favorites are Fotos & Recuerdos, which looks super pretty as a wash of creamy color on the lid (paired with a strong, liquid liner) and Selena, which can be worn on its own or blended with other colors beautifully (and let’s be real, the name is enough to make you want to add it to your cart). I also really liked the matte black because it came off as a bit more of a soft charcoal—great for smoky eyes or soft eyeliner.

The collection also features a MAC Opulash Mascara ($18) in Optimum Black and MAC Liquid Eyeliner ($21) in Boot Black. Selena loved her black eyeliner and big lashes—so these two products are perfect to finish off the look.

Opulash Mascara is actually one of my favorite MAC formulas—it’s all about volume and ultra-black pigment. It has a big, fluffy bristle brush and a slightly drier formula, both of which I prefer in my mascaras. It lasts throughout the day on me without flaking or smudging, so while you’re going to be paying extra for the Selena packaging, it’s still a good staple mascara for everyday.

The Liquid Eyeliner can be a little tricky because the tip is quite short and the formula is very fluid, so it may take some practice to get the hang of. It’s definitely not my favorite format of liquid eyeliner, so it’s probably one I would skip if you’re looking for more than just a collectible item.

OVERALL THOUGHTS
I think the collection is quite simple and safe, which I think is the way to go for a tribute like this. My favorite products are the Lipsticks, because they are so true to Selena’s signature beauty look. The cheek duo was also one of my favorites because of the packaging but also the tones looked great on my skin. I’d pass on the mascara and eyeliner, simply because they can be found in the permanent line-up (unless you want to shell out a bit of extra cash for the special packaging). Haven’t said that, I think this collection is going to sell out quickly so if there is something you want to pick up, mark October 1st in your calendar and get ready to shop online early!